with his shafts, is taking the lives of the Pancala warriors endued with great activity as they are advancing against him, like a blazing fire taking the lives of myriads of insects.  The son of Radha, in this battle, is destroying in hundreds the Pancalas that are advancing against him,—­those heroes, that are resolved to lay down their lives for the sake of their allies!  It behoveth thee, O Bharata, to become a raft and rescue those brave warriors, those great bowmen, that are sinking in the raftless ocean represented by Karna.  The awful form of that weapon which was obtained by Karna from that foremost of sages, viz., Rama of Bhrigu’s race, hath been displayed.  Scorching all the troops, that weapon of exceedingly fierce and awful form is blazing with its own energy, surrounding our vast army.  Those arrows, sped from Karna’s bow, are coursing in battle thick as swarm of bees, and scorching thy troops.  Encountering Karna’s weapon in battle, that is irresistible by persons not having their souls under control, there the Pancalas, O Bharata, are flying away in all directions!  Yonder, Bhima, of unappeasable wrath, surrounded on all sides by the Srinjayas, is fighting with Karna, O Partha, afflicted by the latter with keen shafts!  If neglected, Karna will, O Bharata, exterminate the Pandavas, the Srinjayas, and the Pancalas, like a neglected disease whose germ has entered the body.  Save thee I do not see another in Yudhishthira’s army that would come home safe and sound, having encountered the son of Radha in battle.  Slaying that Karna today with thy keen shafts, O bull among men, act according to thy vow, O Partha, and win great fame.  I tell thee truly, thou only art able to vanquish in battle the Kaurava host with Karna amongst them, and no one else, O foremost of warriors!  Achieving this great feat, viz., slaying the mighty car-warrior Karna, attain thy object, O Partha, and crowned with success, be happy, O best of men!’”

74

“Sanjaya said, ’Hearing these words of Keshava, O Bharata, Vibhatsu soon cast off his anxiety and became cheerful.  Rubbing then the string of gandiva and stretching it, he held his bow for the destruction of Karna, and addressed Keshava, saying, ’With thee for my protector, O Govinda, and when thou that art acquainted with the past and the future art gratified with me today, victory is sure to be mine.  Aided by thee, O Krishna, I can, in great battle, destroy the three worlds assembled together, what need be said of Karna then?  I see the Pancala host is flying away, O Janardana.  I see also Karna careering fearlessly in battle.  I see too the bhargava weapon careering in all directions, having been invoked by Karna, O thou of Vrishni’s race, like the puissant thunder invoked by Shakra.  This is that battle in which Karna will be slain by me and of which all creatures will speak as long as the earth will last.  Today, O Krishna, unbarbed arrows, impelled by my arms and sped from the gandiva,